TRT Extra (Summer 2007) - Community Action
Additional information on articles in the "Community Action" section of Three Rivers Times.
100 years of scouting
To celebrate 100 years of scouting, last year's Council Chairman, Cllr David Major,and this year's Chairman, Cllr Amrit Mediratta invited a number of pensioners and current scouts to Three Rivers House to share their experiences of scouting past and present.
Download their experiences and details of upcoming events below.
POP IN to the Mill End and District Community Centre
A new POP IN morning has been started by a group of volunteers in Mill End, to help inform and bring together the community surrounding the Mill End and District Community Centre.
On Wednesday mornings between 10.30am and 12.00 midday, the centre opens its doors to individuals and families from the local area, providing refreshments, local service information and a sociable place to meet new people.
Residents can simply pop in to ask a quick question about the local buses, request information about local nurseries, or come along for a coffee and a chat and make new friends. Every month a speaker from the local community also attends the session, with past speakers including the Herts Hearing Advisory Service and Connexions.
Anybody is welcome and interested residents can come along and pop in at any time on Wednesday mornings between 10.30 and 12.00 midday. For more information telephone Susan Gambula at the Mill End and District Community Centre on 01923 493 334.
British Red Cross Society (Croxley Green)
The Adult Groups comprise trained first-aiders who provide both First Aid Services for events, and First Aid Training for the public.
The Medical Loan Service provides loan of wheelchairs, commodes, crutches, walking frames, bedrests, bed cradles, etc.
The Welcome Club for older people meets at the Red Cross Centre every weekday, plus Saturday afternoons.
The society is also involved in local clubs and welfare. Regular jumble sales and charity markets are held.
Contact Centre Organiser
Red Cross Centre, 1 Community Way, Off Barton Way, Croxley Green, Hertfordshire WD3 3HB
Phone: 01923 720485
www.redcross.org.uk
Also known as Welcome Club.
Opening Hours: Monday-Friday 10.00am-12.30pm.
Parent organisation: British Red Cross Society (Hertfordshire).
Subsidiaries: British Red Cross Sunnyside Club for the Handicapped (Croxley Green).
Registered charity number: 22094
Red Cross Markets
Red Cross Hall, Barton Way, Croxley Green
Markets and jumble sales are from 10am - 12pm
16 June Saturday Market
21 July Saturday Market
28 July Jumble Sale
18 August Saturday Market
27 August Charities Market
15 September Saturday Market
20 October Saturday Market
27 October Jumble Sale
2 December Charities Market
15 December Saturday Market
Contact: Mrs Olive Bennett on 01923 776913
Hours of flowers - Croxley Green Flower Club
Warm summer evenings are a great time to get back into gardening, flower arranging and learning about horticulture, or why not give it a try for the first time?
Residents who are interested in learning more about horticulture in a friendly group setting, have plenty of choice across the district.
One such group is the Croxley Green Flower Group, which meets every second Tuesday of the month except August, at 7.45pm at the Croxley Green Red Cross Centre. The annual membership fee is £20.00 and there is a flower demonstration each month, as well as other activities and events for members.
For residents interested in getting out and about with their hobby, the Rickmansworth and District Horticultural Society offers residents three annual flower shows, three coach trips per year and one 4-5 day holiday for members. The Society also offers shows, discounts and monthly talks, with an AGM held in December.
For more information about the Croxley Green Flower Group please contact Mrs Jean Scott on 01923 720 238.
For more information about the Rickmansworth and District Horticultural Society please contact Mrs E Strickland on 01923 778975.
West Hyde & Maple Cross Youth Centre
Youngsters in West Hyde and Maple Cross enjoyed a brand new bouncy castle in their Youth Centre, after receiving a grant from the Leisure department at Three Rivers District Council.
The children made the most of their new piece of equipment at the half term play scheme in West Hyde. Elaine Elmer, play scheme manager, said:
'The children really enjoyed themselves and they would like to say thank you for the fun they have had with this piece of equipment.'
For more information on the free and low cost activities for children running at the youth centre, including sports evenings, please telephone Elaine Elmer on 01923 778 609.
Summer classics from Abbots Langley Orchestra
Abbots Langley Orchestra has been delighting audiences from across the district recently with performances at St Saviours Church, such as the highly successful 'Spring Romance' performance in March, featuring music by Schuman and Dvorak, as well as talented young Hertfordshire soloist Jenna Thorp.
The orchestra is proud of its reputation for entertaining residents with inspired performances, but also place a lot of emphasis on bringing communities from all over the district together. John Fryer, conductor of the Abbots Langley Orchestra, said:
'Everybody who lives in or near the Langleys is invited to come along to our concerts. They are a great example of community spirit in the district and I can't think of a better way to spend a lovely summers evening!'
The orchestra's next big performance 'Music from the Dance' will take place at 8.00pm on Sunday 1st July at St Saviours Church in Abbots Langley, featuring elegant ballet music by composers such as Tchaikovsky and Delibes.
Tickets for this performance will be available on the door at St Saviours Church, Abbots Langley, for £6.00 each and everybody is welcome.
Hertfordshire Local Studies and Archives
Interested in researching your family history, the history of your house or town, or need help completing a local history project for school or college? Hertfordshire Local Studies and Archives can help residents find the answers they need, providing access to over 6,000 archive collections, 30,000 books, 10,000 maps and 200 newspaper and periodical titles.
Based at County Hall in Hertford, this facility can help residents find out more about the people, the environment and the geography of Three Rivers and the surrounding area. For more information please telephone 01438 737 333 or visit Hertfordshire County Council's website.
Art Active
For budding artists of all ages who would like to enhance their skills and enjoy their art, details of several art groups operating across the district can be found below.
Abbots Langley Art Club - Council offices, Abbots Langley. Thursdays 7.30pm-9.30pm. Abbots Langley Art Club members meet once a week for members to work on their own projects. Once a month there is a speaker or demonstration and the club holds exhibitions about 3 times a year. Membership is £8 for senior citizens and £10 for others. Contact Mrs P Shepherd on 01923 262124 or Mrs Prue King on 01923 262 208.
Arts and Heritage Club (Tring to Rickmansworth) - Pick up points from Tring to Rickmansworth for organised outings. Contact Eve Burhcall on 01296 489 355.
Rickmansworth Decorative and Fine Arts Society - Illustrated lectures take place at Sarratt Village Hall, Sarratt Green, Near Rickmansworth at 11.00am every second Tuesday. Contact Mrs J M Butler on 01923 772 586.
Between sowing and reaping
Morris dancing is believed to hark back to 13th century Spain but the Phoenix Morris dancers are also bang up-to-date, creating new dances and raising cash for local charities.
The Rickmansworth-based group performs regularly during the summer and will shortly make donations of several hundreds of pounds to Swan Rescue and to Michael Sobell House at Mount Vernon Hospital.
The Morris later developed as a dance performed by farm labourers in the Cotswolds as a way of earning extra money when they were not working between the sowing and harvesting seasons.
Morris dancer Jane Clubb, aged 23, says: "It's so much fun, I joined after university as I was looking for beer buddies. You can't wear bells and flowered hats without looking silly. But if you can get past what people think there is a lot in it - folk culture, festivals and hanging out down the pub.
"Morris dancing is becoming more popular with young people - some universities have formed groups. Everyone has so much fun."
Visit: www.phoenix-morris.co.uk
Contact: Michael Stimpson 01923 770425.